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Twitter Co-founder: I’m Sorry if We Made Trump’s Presidency Possible

posted by martyb on Tuesday May 23 2017, @12:22PM   
from the closing-the-barn-door dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

If anyone knows how important Twitter is to Donald Trump, it's the president.

“Without the tweets, I wouldn't be here,” he told the Financial Times last month.

To which Twitter's co-founder says: Sorry about that, world.

Evan Williams, who still sits on the company's board of directors, recently told The New York Times that he wants to repair the damage he thinks Twitter and the broader Internet have wrought on society in the form of trolls, cyberbullies, live-streamed violence, fake news and — yes — Trump.

“I thought once everybody could speak freely and exchange information and ideas, the world is automatically going to be a better place,” Williams told the Times. “I was wrong about that.”

“If it’s true that he wouldn’t be president if it weren’t for Twitter, then yeah, I’m sorry,” he said.

Is Twitter responsible?

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Original Submission

• The principle is soundThe principle is sound (Score: 2) by jdavidb on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:11PM (2 children)

  by jdavidb (5690) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:11PM (#514197) Homepage Journal

  “I thought once everybody could speak freely and exchange information and ideas, the world is automatically going to be a better place,” Williams told the Times. “I was wrong about that.”

  Keep in mind a lot of Trump's opposition is also united and communicating through Twitter and other internet-enabled communication.

  --
  ⓋⒶ☮✝🕊 Secession is the right of all sentient beings

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• Re:The principle is sound(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:32PM

  by c0lo (156) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:32PM (#514213) Journal

  The principle is sound

  Yeah, righto.
  Only that the application of this principle is... what... noise?

  (grin)

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  https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

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• Re:The principle is sound(Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:57PM

  by Arik (4543) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:57PM (#514241) Journal

  Keep in mind that tweeter has nothing whatsoever to do with people being able to speak freely and exchange information.
  
  That's the most risible and self-righteous pile of utter bullshit I've heard in some time.
  
  Tweeter is and has always been absolutely opposed to such things, just like all the other walled gardens parasites.

  --
  If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?

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